


Love Sharp Enough To Make Me Bleed

by t_dactyl



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Gang AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-09-13 06:42:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16887561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/t_dactyl/pseuds/t_dactyl
Summary: If Adora thinks leaving the Horde would be easy, that she could have it all outside of the Fright Zone, she's sorely mistaken. Her ties are not so easily severed, especially when Catra refuses to leave with her, and she's going to have to realize that when they say it's "blood in, blood out," they meant it.or: the Horde is a gang au





	Love Sharp Enough To Make Me Bleed

**Author's Note:**

> yo. it's ya boi. back with another wip cause i'm a savage  
> so like, was gonna wait to post this chapter until i had the next one mostly done but like. i'm impatient and so here we are. updates will come as they come cause i'm trash garbage at schedules and keeping to them, sorry lads
> 
> ALSO: catra is still a catgirl in this for no reason other than i love this catgirl to death and catgirls are good
> 
> oh also, chapter title is from that one song by the same name cause i laugh every time and i'm corny

“For the last time. Where. Is. Adora?” Shadow Weaver’s voice crawls up her spine and settles with the thick ball of tension it created at the base of her neck. The taller, threatening woman looms over her and raises a hand with the intent to strike once more.

 

Catra doesn’t flinch, accustomed to this treatment from a lifetime of the same. She learned early on that showing any weakness in the Horde just led to more punishment. She takes the hard slap with nary a sound of protest, uncaring about the fact that it splits her lip. Bristling in anger instead, she wipes the blood away quickly and growls back. “I’ve already told you that I don’t know. It’s not like I keep her on a leash.”

 

“I know you’re lying,” Shadow Weaver hisses behind her mask, the eyes peeking out from behind it full of malice and disgust, “The two of you are too close for her not to have told you where she was going before she left.”

 

Mismatched eyes avert testily as she huffs and goes to lean against the wall, “Then I guess she let us both down.”

 

Shadow Weaver pays her no mind and instead pulls out a tablet. “Have it your way. I already know where she is. We’ve been tracking her.”

 

Catra’s eyes widen a bit in surprise but that is the only outward reaction that she has to the statement. “Oh yeah? Then why did you ask me?”

 

“Because  _ you _ are going to bring her back.”

 

“I don’t think so,” she responds dismissively before turning to walk away but being brought up short by the cold hard press of metal against her lower back.

 

The sound of a gun cocking is not unfamiliar to Catra, not even the sound of one aimed at her, but it never ceases to make her blood run cold. She freezes in place, gulping audibly as Shadow Weaver closes the rest of the distance and the hand not holding the gun comes up to rest on her shoulder.

 

“Your insolence will not protect her.” Shadow Weaver whispers lowly to her. “You will do as I ask.”

 

“Oh, yeah? Or what?” Catra says, voice steadier than she thought it would be even though her heart is racing and sweat is starting to slick her skin.

 

The hand at her shoulder comes around and grips her face, forcefully turning her head to face the cold mask. “Or you will suffer the consequences in her place.”

 

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

 

Catra’s life with the Horde wasn’t the easiest, but it was far from the worst thing that could have happened to her. Sure, maybe being around guns, drugs, and prostitution from a young age and being physically abused and manipulated by your caretaker was fucked up, but it was better than living in one of those prissy princess kingdoms.

 

Those gated communities with their pristine lawns and pearly white fences. Boarding schools to house their perfect little princesses and groom them into the next shitty batch of mayors or senators or police chiefs to lead this city into the ground. That’s why the Horde, as bad as it was, was the better choice and one day, Catra knows that she’ll be leading the pack and calling the shots in this town. And one thing that the Horde has that those princesses don’t is Adora and with them at the helm, they’ll be unbeatable.

 

So yeah, Catra figures that it sucks to have a gun shoved at you whenever you misbehave, but it beats life in Bright Moon any day.

 

At least, it did until the night Adora left.

 

For some reason, Shadow Weaver had always been fixated on Adora. She and Catra had come into the guardianship of the Horde at around the same time, a couple of street kids - orphans - who’d fled from some shit foster home, and were put into Shadow Weaver’s care together, but for some reason, Shadow Weaver was only ever interested in Adora’s success. No matter how well Catra did in school or when there would be a scrap or in any of their “lessons,” none of it mattered. Shadow Weaver only noticed how well Adora did alongside her and Adora’s potential and how well Adora would do for the Horde out on the streets some day. It was frustrating to never be chosen first or seen as the top dog, but since it was Adora, she made herself okay with it. It had gotten to the point that impressing Shadow Weaver was pretty low on Catra’s list of priorities, the top being climbing the ranks in spite of her with Adora at her side and getting to the point where she could outrank Shadow Weaver and do as she pleased.

 

But now Adora has been gone for two days, having said she was only going to check out something outside of the Fright Zone and that she would be back before anyone noticed. And Catra now has to go past enemy lines, find her, and bring her back before Shadow Weaver decides it’s time for Catra to learn one of Adora’s lessons for her, not for the first time.

 

Catra rolls her shoulders back and straightens from her hunched position against the wall before pushing off and heading out of her and Adora’s shared room and leaving her reflections behind. She needs to get down to the garage and find whoever is going to be driving her down to some place called Thaymore to pick up Adora.

 

The neighborhood that the Horde calls home is affectionately called The Fright Zone not only by those outside of it, but also those who live there. Made up of mostly projects and rundown, graffiti stained buildings, the Fright Zone isn’t the most inviting part of town or the safest. In the center of it lies the Horde headquarters, a large repurposed warehouse connected to a five story building that housed not only the newest recruits to the Horde that were just learning the ropes and their place, but also Hordak himself, the leader of the whole Horde. It was rare for the greener recruits to get out and actually do Hordak’s bidding outside the Fright Zone before they were deemed ready, and for Catra and Adora, there has been no leaving the Fright Zone since they entered it as very small children.

 

These halls and the surrounding streets that lead down to her old elementary and then high school (before she graduated with high marks but low attendance) have been pretty much all Catra has known her whole life, so it’s no trouble to navigate them down to where three cars are waiting idling and ready to go.

 

“You’re my crew to get to Thaymore?” Catra calls out with an air of practiced snark and disinterest.

 

She doesn’t receive much in the ways of an answer outside of a few affirmative grunts before they move toward their vehicles, but it’s not like she expected excitement and smiles. Most grunts don’t understand Shadow Weaver’s fixation on Adora and getting her back (not even Catra knows the real reasons why) but with Shadow Weaver as Hordak’s second in command, there really is no arguing with her.

 

The trip towards Thaymore is mostly quiet, Catra stewing in her anger at Shadow Weaver and the others knowing her temper well enough to not bother her. They have music pumping through the speakers otherwise there is nothing to break the tense silence.

 

Thaymore is a quaint little town, not really much going on and Catra really has no idea why the Horde had any interest in some shit little town on the outskirts of the city or why this is where they had tracked Adora to. Maybe the blonde had been going to scope out the area that she was going to try and bring into the Horde’s fold before her actual mission. She had mentioned that Shadow Weaver had basically given her a promotion and that she would soon be sent out here to do Hordak’s bidding. Adora hadn’t been told what that entailed exactly, and she probably wouldn’t be, but Catra can only imagine what Adora’s guys would be doing once they spread roots in Thaymore and the surrounding neighborhoods.

 

As their cars roll into town, Catra’s phone buzzes in her back pocket and she shifts to pull it out and check the notification. It’s from an unknown number with nothing but an address and she knows that this is where they’ll find Adora. She relays the information to the guy driving and goes back to looking moodily out the window. It seems like the people of Thaymore are having a bit of a street faire today and Catra can’t help but sneer at their carefree nonsense.

 

They pull up at the end of the faire and leave the cars to idle as they get out. Catra is the first to hop out, adjusting her dark denim vest with the Horde symbol on the back over her red tank top, shaking herself off from being in the car for so long, her ears pinned back and tail flicking behind her in annoyance.

 

“Alright,” she calls to the guys gathering behind her. “I’ll get Adora. Raise some hell.”

 

With that, the guys scatter and not a moment later, Catra hears the telltale  _ bang _ of gunfire, unphased as she saunters into the panicking crowd, hands in the pockets of her ripped jeans and a mean smirk on her face.

 

Mismatched eyes scan the fleeing masses and among the cookie cutter families and crying children, it doesn’t take her long to locate Adora, one of the only people running towards the chaos rather than away.

 

Adora’s face is a mask of frantic worry and Catra brightens at the sight of her even though she can tell that Adora looks… different. Gone is her usual fitted jacket with the new mark of someone higher ranked in the Horde and while she’s still wearing Horde colors, there’s nothing on her to mark her as part of the gang. She’s even got a flower in her hair, which is beyond weird.

 

Catra bolts forward, quickly shedding her aloof facade and closes the last of the distance between them with a pounce, knocking the both of them to the ground.

 

“Adora!”

 

“Catra?!”

 

She sounds surprised and more than a little bit horrified and Catra can’t really grasp as to why. Did she just think that the Horde wouldn’t send anyone to get her back? Did she really think that they wouldn’t come looking for her after she’s been gone for days with no word?

 

“Where have you been? Did you get arrested or something on your little excursion?” Catra laughs a bit mockingly as she takes a hold on Adora’s hand and starts tugging her toward the cars. “Let’s get back, Shadow Weaver is losing her shit.”

 

Catra tries to lead Adora away, uncaring about the mess that she’s made of this faire and what she’s done to these people, but Adora doesn’t budge, pulling her hand out of Catra’s grasp.

 

“Wait! Catra! Are these your guys doing this? You have to call them off!”

 

“What?” Catra pauses, a look of confusion taking over her face. “Who cares? They’re not killing anyone, it’s whatever. It doesn’t matter. Let’s just go home.”

 

She goes to grab at her hand again, but Adora takes a slow step back, out of reach.

 

“I’m not going back, Catra.”

 

Stiffening, Catra’s face falls from rakish and happy to cold and hard. “Adora, stop playing around, we’re going.”

 

Adora, reaching for Catra this time, takes on an entreating tone. “Catra, I’ve seen what the Horde is doing, it’s not right. They’ve been lying to us, manipulating us! I can’t go back there now that I’ve seen all the harm they’re doing. Can’t you see how much they’re hurting people?”

 

Catra pauses for a moment, trying to take in what Adora is saying, before bursting out. “No duh, Adora. Newsflash, the Horde has been fucked this whole time!”

 

“What?” Adora has the gall to sound dismayed and betrayed. “You knew?”

 

“Of course I knew, Adora! Everyone knows! It’s a gang for fuck’s sake!”

 

“I thought we were working toward something good!” Adora shouts back, her eyes frantic as she glances around. “Breaking the laws of corrupt politicians and helping the communities outside of their systems.”

 

Scoffing and then laughing bitterly, Catra sneers. “You can’t have really bought into that shit Shadow Weaver fed us, manipulation is her whole shtick. What peaceful resistance group traffics guns and drugs? God, Adora! Wake up!”

 

“You knew and you stayed? How can you be okay with this?”

 

Catra looks around at the chaos for which she was partly responsible, at the panicked faces of people fleeing from the perceived immediate danger. She feels a flash of regretful empathy for a split second before she thinks of the cushy lives they’ll get to go back to after this. Catra moves in and puts her hands on Adora’s shoulders, her face and voice softening. “Yeah, the Horde sucks but it doesn’t matter what they do. The two of us look out for each other and soon? We’ll be the ones calling the shots. Now, let’s go home already.”

 

Sirens can be heard in the distance and someone passes too closely as they run, shoulder checking Adora in their haste, knocking her out of Catra’s grasp and breaking their intense eye contact. Adora shakes it off and Catra watches as her face hardens with a well known expression of determination and resolve, not unlike the look that she adopts when she is going to win on one of the rookie poker nights.

 

“I’m not going home, Catra. I can’t. Not after everything I’ve seen, what I’ve learned.”

 

Catra stands there, stunned for a moment, unable to truly comprehend what Adora is telling her.

 

“Come with me,” she says, reaching out and grasping Catra’s hand again. “You don’t have to go back there. We can fix this.”

 

The touch jolts Catra out of her shock and she jerks her hand away, stepping back and widening the distance between them. “Are you kidding? You’ve known these people, what? Three days? You’re going to throw everything away, for them?!” She gestures widely to the chaos around them. “Ugh. What happened to you?”

 

Adora straightens and her face pinches in resolution. “I don’t know. But I have to do something. I’m sorry, Catra.”

 

She turns and starts to walk away from her and Catra feels a distinct tearing in her chest.  _ She’s leaving _ , a low voice that sound suspiciously like Shadow Weaver’s whispers in the back of her mind,  _ she’s going to leave you. _ The stinging hurt twists into something savage and without thinking, Catra whips out her taser, the only weapon Shadow Weaver let’s her carry outside her pocket knife, and shocks her.

 

“Ah!” Adora cries before crumbling to the ground.

 

“Oh, shit! Fuck! Christ, that was set way higher than I thought, shit. Are you okay?”

 

“Catra, are you ser-”

 

She shocks her one more time. “Shit, sorry! Reflex!”

 

Adora takes a moment to gather herself, rises up from her crumpled position a bit, and then looks over her shoulder back at Catra. “Why are you doing this?”

 

And Catra can’t believe her, can’t fathom how Adora is so suck up her own ass as to not see this from her perspective. “Because you left me!” She bursts out. “And if I don’t bring you back, Shadow Weaver is gonna have my ass! So enough with your weird little identity crisis and let’s go the fuck home already. Or do I have to taze you again?”

 

Standing over her best friend’s nearly prone form, Catra feels a flash of regret for the way that this is happening but this is how it has to be and Adora will be home soon and they’ll be fine and Catra can move past this and they can go back to the way things were. Things might not be the same, but they’ll be together again and Adora will realize what she did and apologize and they can be happy again.

 

But before Adora can respond, there is a flurry of movement Catra feels a harsh strike across her cheek, knocking her to the ground.

 

“Ah, what?!”

 

She reaches up to touch her now smarting mouth only to have her fingers come away with a small trickle of blood from her newly reopened split lip. Catra looks up in outrage and just regular rage to see two people crowding around Adora. There’s this tiny little pixie of a girl with pink and purple hair, shaking out one of her hands with a grimace on her face as she helps Adora up and a boy wearing a crop top who has put himself between Catra and the two of them, a frazzled look on his face.

 

“Glimmer!” the boy calls, voice cracking, “That was so bad, she has a weapon!”

 

“She  _ tazed _ Adora! Twice!”

 

The sound of sirens is getting closer and Catra knows that her time is drawing to a close. If she gets caught up for this, Weaver’s guys in the precinct will get her out, but only by her command and she knows that Shadow Weaver would leave her in there as extra punishment on top of what she’s going to get when she gets back.

 

“Adora!” Catra calls, taking a step forward and towards these strangers. “We have to get out of here,  _ please _ .”

 

But Adora just looks at her sadly as she rises and leans against the shoulder of the girl apparently called Glimmer. She can see the desperation in those mismatched eyes, the betrayal, but she has to do this. There is no going back.

 

“I’m sorry…”

 

Catra lunges forward to try and grab hold of her in one last ditch attempt to get her to stay but the boy pushes her back and she stumbles on a curb, falling back hard on her ass. She hisses and goes to follow as the two scramble away with Adora in tow, but the police choose that moment to round the corner and Catra is forced to turn tail and make a run for the cars with the rest of her guys, glancing back in her dash to see Adora looking longingly over her shoulder as she is lead in the opposite direction.

**Author's Note:**

> that's that on that so like. lemme know your thoughts, comments, concerns. or don't, your choice.  
> and you can catch me on tumblr @tdactyl before that site destroys itself, imma be posting til it or i die so.


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